Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are aiming to increase bilateral trade to $3 billion, as economic cooperation between the two Central Asian neighbors continues to accelerate.

Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev said in an interview with Dunyo that bilateral trade has grown by 45% since the beginning of the year, reaching $624.6 million.

The two countries are also working to establish a unified payment ecosystem connecting their national payment systems, Kulubaev said. The initiative is expected to make cross-border transactions more convenient and further support trade between businesses in both countries.

Economic ties are also being strengthened through new investment and trade agreements. At the Kyrgyz-Uzbek business forum held on July 28, the two sides signed 16 documents covering joint projects and trade cooperation.